Storage racks



Aug. 2, 1960 H. rA. sToLLENwERK STORAGE RACKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 2, 1958 INVENTOR. HARRY A, STOLLENWER K Aug- 2, 1960 H. A.sroLLENwEFaK 2,947,390

STORAGE RACKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2. 1958 INVENTOR.

HAR RY A. STOLLENWERK Uid States Patent STORAGERACKS Y Harry A.Stollenwerk ,2455 S. Howell Ave., r Milwaukee, Wis..`

Filed Apr. 2, 1958,` Ser. No..72"5,908'

Claims, (CL-,189736) My invention relates to storagejacks andmoremparticularly to portable racks for` storing pallets, sheets, ,barMstock,- or the like. v

The object` of A my invention` is,to provide ai rack that is easilyassembled and `disassembled `to `anywsize,` as to length, height, depth,and` withyaried numbers of cross. 4supports at varied heights.`

Another object of ymy invent-ionis `to provide astoragen rack that isslidably supported for adjustment .ofthevertical standards for anyvariation, inthe ysurface,l orwfloor, to which the rack is` applied.,- i

Still another?` object of,my invention-sis `to provide a rack thatsupports itself rigidly in a vertical plane,` with@ out weaving,` or.leaning, oneyway-onthe othera when WeightY is. applied ,i to the cross.members;` forming:v the, shelves.

It is manifest to anyoneamiliar with racksvfor storing materials, thatwhen the ,racks Aareof a permanent nature and constructed rigidly,` they,very,oftei1-` outgrow their capacitywhich is limited totheirgoverningdimensionsV It is` also quitefrequently necessaryto movethe racks toa dierent location in theplant'lor warehouse,rand -duertotheir permanentustructurefit 1involves quite an expense in labor, andloss of nmateriaLin-makingthis change of location.

The device described and` illustratedwherein represents; a directimprovement on 'theracksi-such as `covered by my Patents Nos. 2,510,433.a`tndr2,7l0,735.V Itpresents the portable feature being easilymanipulated in ,standard parts, arranged for, easy assemblyanddisassembly, they braces are arranged to` retainthestandardsingarvertial plane at all times, evenV when thepfleori-isuneven OliA slanted. The crossmembers are constructed in da, manner toprevent side sway or leaning, aridwarereasilyassernbled` with thevertical standards to.provide, racks/of` varied widths, depths, andheights, withmthe ,cross-,bars placed at Varied heights, one above theother.

Other and further objects of my invention will'become more apparent asthe description proceeds, when taken in conjunction `Withthe drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the verticalstandards, constructed of, four anglerirons held in lixed relation tooneanotherby,spacer channels welded. in positionat predeterminedrdistancesapartffrom one another;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front View of the vertical standard, with across-member in position and resting on the top surface of the spacerchannel;

Figure 3 is a top view of the vertical standard as shown in Figure 2,and illustrating in phantom how crossmembers may be applied oppositefrom one another;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of a portion of the verticalstandard with the cross-members in position;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vertical standard asshown in Figure l with the brace assembly attached thereto, illustratingthe manner in which the brace clamp is slidably supported on one of thevertical 2,947,390 Batented Aug-s., 2, 1960 anglers andwclamped tothe..brae rods fortsupporting the unit.

Figure .6 is a topcross-sectional view `of themclamp arrangement shownin Figure 5;

Figure` 7 is a` perspective view ofthe brace clamp;

Figure 8 is a perspective viervv of. one endpofthe asf sembledcrosse-member;

Figure 9 showsva top View of -a modified forrn of bracket assemblyforlsupporting the crossmember;

Figure l0 illustrates the. manner inl whichv the .modied bracketengagesthe vertical standard assembly;

Figure llis a perspective view of themoditiedvbracket with theoppositely disposed `sections welded toV orlean-` other;

Figure 12 is afront view of the modified bracket as shownin Figureltlwith therbracket in engagement with the Vertical standard;

Figure 13 is a perspectiveview of themodiiieltype of bracket as shown inFigure r 1l,` withthe ,tubular cross brace `welded thereto; and

Figure 14 is `a front view, of the.assembly asshown in the variousA4Figures 9, l0, l2, and 13, showing the cross as 13,-and of alength toreach from one vertical standard The., cross-brace 13 is equipped with aat end plate 14of a width equal to the diameter of the cross-brace 13,andof a length which is greater than the width of the space betweenangle irons 11u and 11c and `may be equal tothe length of the spacerchannel 12, The ends 15-of the` fiat `end plate are curved slightly, asshown to make it easier to` put them into` place. T here are a pairV ofoutwardly extending members 16 which are radially formed atu 11 forengagement` with the outer surface of the cross-brace 13, whenweldedthereto in opposite ,relationmto one anotherand in alignment with oneanother. Thesemembers 16 are `spaced fromthe end plate 14 at`afdistancejust slightly greater than the width of the legs ofthe`anglesll, 11a, 11b, and 11c in the vertical standard 10.` This` providesfor ample clearance at 18, as shown in Figures Zand 3, when thecross-brace 13.is in position with the endrplate 14 resting on topf`ofthe-spacer channel at 19, as shown in Figure 2-` When installing thecross-memberil into engagement with the vertical standard 10` it is onlynecessary to `insert theA flat plate- 14,be t weenthe angles `such as,11b and 0 11, and by revolving the cross-member 13 a half turn the endplate 14 will rest on the spacer channel 12 with the angles 11b and 11cspaced between the end plate 14 and the members 16. The side portions ofthe tubular member 13, between the members 14 and 18 tend to contact theangle irons and prevent lateral displacement.

The members 16 may be straight at their outwardly projecting ends, orcut radially, as shown by dots in Figure 8. Since the surfaces of themembers 18 are ilat they will tend to contact the outer face of theangles 11b and 11, thus preventing the vertical standards from Weavingor leaning sideways as would be the case This `is to provide, space to`3 if a pin be inserted through the tubular cross-bar 13 at the point ofcontact with the angles.

In Figure 7, I show a brace clip 20, `formed into a channel at 21, forengagement with one web of the angle as shown in Figures and 6, and thelonger section thereof is angularly disposed at its end 22. There is anaperture 23 disposed through the brace clip 20 to accommodate a bolt 24so it may be assembled with a straight brace 25 and an angularlydisposed brace 26,

when placed in position to clamp the-angleasshown in Figures 5 and'6.This type of brace clip permits the assembled brace extending from onevertical standard to the other to slidably adjust itself and clampsecurely when the bolts 23 are fastened and tightened.

The modied bracket construction shown in Figures 9 to 14, inclusive,accomplishes the same purpose as outlined above, and consists of a pairof oppositely disposed sections 27 and 27 for-med into a U shape andwelded together at the line 28, to` provide oppositely disposed plates29 answering the Same purpose as the plate 14, namely, for resting onthe spacer channel 12 forming an integral part of the vertical standard10.

There are other'oppositely disposed contact plates 30 forming anintegral part of the U-shaped sections 27 and 27. These contact'plates30 act as a support for the tubular cross brace'13, which is welded tothem at its surface, as at 31. l

, The members or portions 32, when the bracket is assembled with theangle irons, terminate a slight distance from the faces of the angleirons, thus preventing lateral displacement of the bracketand brace in agenerally horizontal plane. Thus the portions 32 perform the samefunction as the tubular side portions between the members 14 and 18 inFigures 1 through 8. t Y

There are angularly projecting members32 integrally formed with thecontact plates 30, which act as guides, or spacers, as shown in Figure10 at 33, for preventing the bracket assembly from shifting, or sliding,between the angle irons forming a part of the vertical standards 10.

In assembling a rack, a plurality of vertical standards as shown inFigure l are disposed in the spaced relation desired and the desirednumber of cross braces or supports 13 and braces 25 and 26 connect thestandards.

It will be seen that the -generally horizontal crossbraces 13, may beeasily inserted into and assembled with the vertical standards 10, andwhen supported by the spacer channels 12, which are an integral part ofthe vertical standards 10, will prevent any side sway of the standards,and when the braces are assembled and clamped to the vertical standards10 as shown, they will rigidly support the standards and retain them invertical alignment even though the floor may be uneven.

Whereas I have shown and described an operative form of my invention, Iwish it tov be understood that there are many modifications of thisinvention which will fall within the scope and spirit of the inventionand which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The drawings anddescription of the invention should be taken in a diagrammaticortillustrative sense and the scope of the invention should be limitedonly by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. A standard and brace assembly for use with demountable storage racksincluding a spaced pair of vertically extending angle irons disposedwith legs of the irons generally parallel to one another to define asupporting standard, a plurality of spacer members connecting the angleirons and vertically spaced from one another, and an elongated crossbrace connected to said standard, said brace having a rst and a secondpair of members spaced from one another and extendingY outwardly fromthe axis thereof, said pairs ofv members being disposed at one end ofsaid brace with the spacing of the pairs being such as to allow thepairs of members to embrace said parallel legs therebetween, said pairsof members having a width such as to be insertable through the spacebetween said legs, the members having a length such that after insertionof one pair through the space between said legs, and degree rotation ofsaid brace, said members are abuttable against said angle irons, atleast one pair of said members being supported on one of said spacermembers and means disposed between said spaced pairs of members forcontact with said legs to restrict displacement of said brace. inhorizontal directions and transverse to the axis of said brace.VY

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said brace is in the form of atubular member having a diameter generally equal to the width of thespace between the legs of said angle irons, and said pairs of membersare xed to said brace. i Y

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said pairs of members are in theform of U-shaped members :fixed to one another intermediate their endsand with leg portions thereof fixed to the end of said cross-brace.

4. The structure of claim 3 characterized by and including an additionalcross-brace slidably and frictionally engaging one of said angle irons.

5. A standard and brace assembly for use with demountable storage racksincluding Vtwo spaced pairs of vertically extending angle irons, thelegs of each pair of angle irons being spaced apart generally parallelto one another, each leg of each angle iron being generally paralleltoone leg of each of the other angle irons, the pairs of angle Vironsbeing spaced apart so as to define elongated and vertically extendingopenings between opposed legs of angle irons, a plurality of spacermembers fixed to each of the angle irons and vertically spaced from oneanother, said angle irons and spacer members defining a supportingstandard, and cross-braces engaged with said standard, each such4cross-brace being elongated and having pairs of anges on the endsthereof for embracing the leg portionsof a pair of angle irons, one pairof anges of each cross brace being supported on a spacer member, thecross braces extending outwardly from at least a pair of said openingswith the anges of said cross braces engaged with different pairs ofangle irons. Y

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ullberg,-a Jan. 26, 1954

